Washington Tribe Cleared To Hunt Whales

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Washington Tribe Cleared To Hunt Whales

Washington – On June 13, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a press release announcing the final rule and decision to grant the Makah Tribe a waiver from the take prohibitions in the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), allowing them to hunt of Eastern North Pacific gray whales in accordance with the Treaty of Neah Bay of 1855.

According to the release, the tribe may resume hunting up to 25 Eastern North Pacific gray whales over a 10-year period in U.S. waters. The release states, “The final rule includes time and area restrictions, harvest limits, low population thresholds, restrictions on the use of gray whale parts and reporting and monitoring requirements.”

Janet Coit, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries, said:

“This final rule represents a major milestone in the process to return ceremonial and subsistence hunting of Eastern North Pacific gray whales to the Makah Tribe. The measures adopted today honor the Makah Tribe’s treaty rights and their cultural whaling tradition that dates back well over 1,000 years and is fundamental to their identity and heritage.”

Meanwhile, earlier this year the Indigenous leaders of Aotearoa (New Zealand), the Cook Islands, Tahiti, Tonga, Hawaii, and Rapanu ratified a historic treaty that recognizes whales as legal persons with inherent rights “including the right to freedom of movement, a healthy environment, and the ability to thrive alongside humanity.” Māori King Tūheitia Pōtatau explains the importance of the the He Whakaputanga Moana Treaty:

“Our mokopuna (grandchildren) deserve an ocean brimming with life, where the melodies of whales echo across the vast expanses.”

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